More than 40 ethnic Amhara professionals and other detainees have begun a three-day hunger strike to protest their detention by Ethiopian authorities, Addis Ababa based online media outlet Roha Media disclosed on Tuesday.
Quoting relatives of the detainees, Roha Media disclosed the hunger strikers include academics, journalists and youths who were rounded up in a recent crackdown on ethnic Amhara figures.
Roha Media further reported the hunger strike which started last Monday and is set to continue through Wednesday.
The ethnic Amhara detainees are currently facing terrorism related charges.
Separately another local media outlet, Addis Maleda reported those who are currently engaged in the hunger strike include journalists Gobeze Sisay and Dawit Begashaw, political commentator, Meskerem Abera, as well as academics Sisay Awgechew (PhD) and Wondwoseen Assefa (PhD).
Earlier this month, Ethiopian security forces announced on state TV that they had arrested 47 terror suspects who are accused of trying to overthrow the government through violent acts.
The announcement by the Ethiopia Joint Security and Intelligence Task Force (EJSITF) also detailed most wanted list issued against diaspora Ethiopians and foreign based media outlets.
The EJSITF statement in particular mentioned longstanding opposition figure, Lidetu Aylaw, US based media outlet, Ethio-360 and prominent US based media commentator, Habtamu Ayalew as among the foreign based individual entities and individuals on the most wanted list.
